The oldest settlement finds, remains of an early medieval refuge castle and a large noble castle destroyed by Landgrave Heinrich Raspe in 1227, testify to the early importance of the Ettersberg.
The 478 meter high “Weimar Hausberg” [Weimar Local Mountain] was the preferred hunting ground of the Weimar princes. Between 1706 and 1711, Duke Wilhelm Ernst had a hunting lodge built as a simple three-winged complex on the foundation walls of a canons' monastery founded around 1084 and later Augustinian monastery in Ettersburg. In the middle of the forest, a hunting star, from which ten dead-straight swathes led off, and a small courtship castle were created. One of the “avenues” led directly to the Old Castle and the Corps de Logis, completed around 1738. This New Castle, commissioned by Duke Ernst August, was surrounded by baroque parterres.
Anna Amalia chose Ettersburg Castle as her summer residence after her son Carl August took office in 1775. A substantial “empfindsame” [sensitive] park landscape was created around the buildings. Even today, the aging tulip tree in front of the rifle hall is impressive.
Goethe, Wieland, Bertuch and Herder were frequent guests here.
Event location
Parking
Restaurant
Events
The landscape park is freely accessible all year round.
Ettersburg Castle is used as a conference center and is not open to the public.
Ettersburg Castle and Park
Klassik Stiftung Weimar
Burgplatz 4
99423 Weimar
Phone: +49 3643 / 545 400
Fax: +49 3643 / 545 401
Tourist-Information
Mark 10
99423 Weimar
Schloss Ettersburg
Am Schloss 1
99439 Ettersburg
Phone: +49 3643 / 74 28 418
Fax: +49 3643 / 74 284 46